Drinan dead at 86

His Jesuit superiors gave him permission to run for office as a Democrat–while denying his fellow Jesuit, John McLaughlin, permission to run as a Republican.

His Jesuit superiors argued that he would be a good advocate in Congress for Catholic moral principles. Well, he was instead known for his advocacy of lots of liberal causes, for being a loud voice against Vietnam and Reagan. He was also known for his consistent support of abortion (see Catholic World News retrospective written in 2002).

Imagine what he could have done in politics in the 1970s if he had opposed abortion with the same vigor with which he opposed Republicans.

He now faces a more harsh tribunal than either the halls of Congress or the blogosphere.